A conversation with the Tablet PC MVP's this week reminded me of a productivity hack I constructed for my tablet a while back. I guarantee that you will either absolutely love this hack, or think it is the stupidest thing you've ever heard. In my experience, there is little gray area when I mention this idea to people.
It's no secret that buttons are in short supply when you're working with a tablet PC, particularly in the slate mode. Most tablets offer a paucity of buttons along the bezel. But even tablets that do have decent bezel buttons infuriate me because nearly all tablets place them on the right side of the screen - the same side where some 75% of users are holding the pen. So I have to fumble with the pen to use the buttons. Why they are not on the left by default is beyond my ken.
I do use the barrel button on my pen, but only begrudgingly so. It's a bit awkward, I hit it by accident, and it often messes up my pen strokes even when I do intend to hit it.
I was digging around for alternate solutions to this dilemma. I realized that I had to get everything off of the pen and tablet.
My solution? Kick that tablet into high gear with the INTELLIMOLE.
The INTELLIMOLE peeks out Tablet PC productivity running out of gas? Then step on it!
Here's what you'll need:
- A wireless mouse, and a willingness to commit bodily harm to it.
- A foot switch.
- A soldering iron.
- Black electrical tape.
Rip open your mouse (unscrew it if you are feeling humane) and just wire up the foot switch to the contacts for the wireless mouse's right-click button. Use the black electrical tape to cover up the optical mouse eye so it won't disturb the pen's cursor position. Throw the footpedal under the desk, and just make sure that the wireless mouse and the receiver are within range of one another. This is what my completed INTELLIMOLE kit looks like:
Now you can stomp your foot to right click whenever you like, without interfering with your pen or tablet. Use the Control Panel settings for the mouse to reprogram the right-button click to some other function if you like.
The downside is that you do have to plug the wireless mouse receiver into your tablet's USB port, so it's really only useful while you're using your tablet on a desk.
For that foot switch, if you want the best experience, I strongly recommend purchasing a round one. That way it doesn't matter which way it is oriented when you go to step on it. The Linemaster GEM V3 switch is a good choice, albeit a bit pricey at $50 from Allied Electronics. They do also have an assortment of cheaper ones (that aren't round).
Perhaps Tablet PC designers will finally take pity on us one day and sprinkle a button or two along the left edge of that tablet bezel as well. I'd dearly love to have a programmable "magic wand" button there that would be available for tablet PC applications to use as they saw fit.
Until then, I'll continue to tunnel through the netherworlds of Tablet PC productivity with the INTELLIMOLE.
Other Posts in the AlpineInker's Tablet PC Ultra-Productivity Series: